“If Senator Kirk had just decided to quit the Senate and focus on his recovery, no one would’ve blamed him,” McConnell said. But but he didn’t do that. He never lost hope. He never gave up."

Published at 2:16 PM CST on Dec 7, 2016

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In this June 9, 2014, file photo, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., speaks in his office in Chicago. Kirk said President Barack Obama was “acting like the drug dealer in chief” when his administration delivered $400 million in cash to Iran contingent on the release of American prisoners. Kirk made the remarks during an editorial board meeting with The (Springfield) State Journal-Register in mid-August 2016.

Following a contentious campaign, Kirk was knocked off by Rep. Tammy Duckworth in the November election. Duckworth will shift to the Senate in January. Prior to his term in the Senate, Kirk served in the U.S. House of Representative for ten years.

“If Senator Kirk had just decided to quit the Senate and focus on his recovery, no one would’ve blamed him,” McConnell said. “But he didn’t do that. He never lost hope. He never gave up."

"He set his sights on getting back to work for the people of Illinois and the nation,” he added.

Kirk returned to the Capitol less than a year after the stroke, climbing up the Senate steps alongside Vice President Joe Biden and Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin.

“Mark could rest assured no one was going to let him fail or fall that day,” McConnell said. “And Senator Manchin could rest assured that he wouldn’t have to go another day waiting for his buddy’s return."

McConnell, who referred to the climb as a “triumph,” spoke fondly of Kirk’s close friendship with Manchin, who supported the senator throughout his recovery.